Hammer Films Captain Kronos returns to comics

Titan Comics has announced the next title from its Hammer Horror line of comics – Captain Kronos, written by Dan Abnett, which has previously had just one strip outing in the past.

Based on the 1974 film, Captain Kronos will be the second Hammer title following the success of Peter Milligan and Ronilson Freire’s The Mummy: Palimpsest which hit stores and digital devices last November.

Written by Dan Abnett (Aquaman, Guardians of the Galaxy) with stunning art by Tom Mandrake (Sidekick, The Spectre) Titan Comics’ new series chronicles the adventures of the mysterious and powerful Kronos who has dedicated his life to destroying the evil vampire plague.

Once a victim himself, the debonair Hunter knows the vampire’s strengths and weaknesses as well as the dangers of confronting the potent forces of darkness. Now the cult-classic adventure continues in comics form.

Captain Kronos last appeared in comics form as a 12-page adaptation of the film in Britain’s Hammer Halls of Horror Issue 20, written by Steve Moore and drawn by Steve Parkhouse, promoted with a smashing cover by Ricardo Villagran.

The new Hammer Comics line sees the publication of brand-new comic stories featuring classic Hammer properties.

Originally founded in 1934, legendary British film studio Hammer Films became famous for iconic titles such as Dracula, The Curse of Frankenstein, One Million Years B.C. and The Quatermass Xperiment. Rebooted as Hammer in 2008, the company has been reinvigorating this beloved global brand and marked its return to features in 2010 with the release of Let Me In, followed by The Resident, Wake Wood and The Quiet Ones over the next four years.

In 2012, Hammer broke records with the first ever feature ghost story in the company’s long history, The Woman In Black. Directed by James Watkins, adapted by Jane Goldman from the novella by Susan Hill, and starring Daniel Radcliffe, the film took over $130m worldwide, making it one of the biggest indie horror films ever. It was followed up in January 2015 by The Woman in Black: Angel of Death – the franchise has since crossed $200m in worldwide theatrical box office.

In other media, Hammer has diversified into live theatre, publishing and television.

Last year, the company announced it had partnered with Unforgotten producer Mainstreet Pictures to develop a TV drama series Forty Elephants, written by BBC Three’s Thirteen writer Marnie Dickens The series is based on the ruthless all female criminal gang which spread havoc across London in the early 20th Century and is in development for the BBC.

Hammer first theatrical stage production, The Turn of the Screw, based on the classic ghost tale by Henry James, opened at London’s Almeida Theatre in 2013.

Last year saw a run of a new adaptation of the Shirley Jackson classic The Haunting of Hill House at the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse. Both productions were mounted in partnership with Sonia Friedman Productions.

The Mummy #1 Cover A – by John McCrea

In publishing, Hammer has its own fiction novel imprint, in partnership with Arrow, part of the Penguin Random House Group. Recent titles include Helen Dunmore’s The Greatcoat, Jeanette Winterson’s The Daylight Gate, and Breakfast with the Borgias by Booker Prize winning author DBC Pierre.

Separately, Hammer also has a comic and graphic novel imprint with Titan Publishing. The first title, the five-issue monthly comic series called The Mummy: Palimpsest, was launched at the end of 2016.

• Fans not wanting to miss out on further news of this exciting series, should visit: www.titan-comics.com

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John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, John works as a comics editor, writer, as Creative Consultant on the Dan Dare audio adventures for B7 Media, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival.
Working in British comics publishing for over 30 years, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Star Trek Magazine and Babylon 5 Magazine. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz, published on Tapastic; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood for digital comic 100% Biodegradable.
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